German submarine U-778 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in World War II. She only completed one combat patrol and sank no Allied ships. She was surrendered to the Allies at Bergen on 9 May 1945.[1]
History | |
---|---|
Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-778 |
Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
Builder | Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven |
Yard number | 161 |
Laid down | 3 July 1943 |
Launched | 6 May 1944 |
Commissioned | 7 July 1944 |
Fate | Surrendered on 9 May 1945; scuttled as part of Operation Deadlight on 4 December 1945 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
|
Beam |
|
Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range | |
Test depth |
|
Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
|
Service record | |
Part of: |
|
Identification codes: | M 33 584 |
Commanders: | |
Operations: |
|
Victories: | None |
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-778 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-778 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
The boat arrived at Horten in Norway on 28 February 1945 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ralf Jürs. She left Horten on her only war patrol on 4 March, completing the 23-day patrol on the 26 March 1945 at Bergen in Norway. No ships were sunk during the patrol and the U-boat was still at Bergen when she was surrendered to the Allies some six weeks later on 9 May 1945.[3]
On 4 December 1945, she was being towed offshore by the Royal Navy, to be scuttled as part of Operation Deadlight, but foundered and sank before reaching the scuttling ground, at a point 55°32′N 7°7′W / 55.533°N 7.117°W, 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi) North East of Malin Head[1] in around 70 metres (230 ft) of water.
The wreck was rediscovered by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2001.[4] In 2007, Derry City Council announced plans to raise the boat to be the main exhibit of a new maritime museum.[5] Many of the other Operation Deadlight U-boats were used for target practice and sunk by gunfire, torpedoes, rockets or bombs. U-778, by contrast, is remarkably intact and lies in relatively shallow water.
On 3 October 2007 an Irish diver died whilst filming the wreck as part of the salvage project.[6] In November 2009, a spokesman from the council's heritage museum service announced the salvage project had been cancelled for cost reasons.[7]
55°32′N 7°7′W / 55.533°N 7.117°W